Display apparatus



Aug. 7, 1928.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Aug. 7, 192s.

a. J. BUCKINGHAM nrsmv Arrm'rus rma nu. za. 1924 26 @f ff d? 5 99 5% 2gli.

19 .5 J3 Z 19 11 l s Z3] I3-U Aug. 1, 192e; 1,680,034

B. J. BUCKINGHAM DISPLAY AIPARATUS fifa Patented Aug. 7, 1928.

UNITEDY .STATES PATENT GFFICE.

BENJAJHN J. BUCKINGHAM, or cHiCAGo., ILLINoIs, Assmmron-m .umronn-m'zamor CHICAGO, unimaas.

ADISPLAY APPARATUS.

Application filed February 28, 1924. Serial No. 695,648.

resent invention is the provision of a disp ay apparatus for theexhibition of articles of merchandise while such articles are travellingthrough a predetermined path. The articles, therefore, may be displayedin regular succession to the observer, and in convenient access forremoval from the apparatus when such is desired. v

More specifically, the invention contemplates an apparatus of thecharacter mentioned designed -for the combined storage and display ofclothing, its construction being such as to economize in the spacerequired for storage, thereby enabling a maximum number of garmentsto'be stored in a minimum area, and permitting the garments successivelyto be displayed while so stored. The economy of storage space thusobtained is effective to eliminate tov a .large extent the shelving anddisplay cases heretofore used for .such purposes, and enables theproprietor of a store to reducethe floor .space necessary for suchshelving and cases.

Furthermore, the invention' has inview the product-ion of a displayapparatus 'wheres in provision is made to'insure proper travel of thegarments through the machine without liability vto .injury of thegarments or entanglement thereofwitl the moving 'parts of the machine. Y

The invention also aims to provide a display apparatus such as referredto wherein the operative parts are so related as to af.- ford a mestcompact' organization-thereby saving in the material for theconstruction of the apparatus, .andi` rendering the parts of the latterreadil" accessible .for repair or replacement when amaged or Worn.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing, and other objects which willappear'as the nature of the vimprovements is better understood, theinvention consists substantially in the novel construction, combinationand arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in'the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appendedclaims.

The embodiment of the vinventionherein disclosed is believed'to be fullyillustrative of the same, and incorporates a practical adaptation of theinvention for the uses and purposes for which the same is intended.However, it is 'to be taken in auillustrative sense, and therefore isnot to be considered The primary object of the as restricting theinvention to that form which is herein delineated.

In the drawings,

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a display apparatus constructed inaccordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 3 3 Fig. '2;

Fig. 4 is a detail elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the drivingmechanism;

Fig. 5 is a 'sectional plan view ouv the line 5 5, Fig. l;

Fig. '6 is a detail 'sectional view, also on an enlarged scale, ofonelof the supporting members and the guardsfcarried thereby. Referringnow in detailato the accompanying drawings, it will be observed that theapparatus includes 'a substantially rectangular base frame 10 which ismade up of corner supporting posts 11,. preferably formed of angle iron.The lower endsv of the posts 11 at the sides of the frame 10 areconnected 'by tie plates 1Q, and'ltheir upper ends are tilcewiseconnected 'bysimilar-plates 13.. The plates .12 j and 1'3 4are designedto prevent spreading vo'f'rth'e conrer posts l11,'and thereby impart tothe same a fixed relation without the necessity of resorting to materialof heavy gaugeA for 'such purpose. The base frame 1'0 thus is relativelyightin Weight, and indsuch embodiment the machine as ma a' apt it forIporta iit whereb to enale 'the machine to be .moved to diil'gi'entpositions in a store room 'orfother place of display, the -frame '10'may be provided with casters '14 or the. like' to permit easy movementof 'the machine overthe floor.

ExtendingupwardlyA from 'each :side of the frame 10 'rs a supportingstandard 15 positioned midway-of the ends 'ofthe plates 13, each of saidstandardsjizinclndin two inrlttingtelescopic n iembersr '1o-an "17.These members preferably are formed of channel iron to attainl the.intentittingrela; ton 'referred to, the up ver member l? of eachstandard .being vrelativelyacljustable to the lower m'ember A16 by'elongated'adjusting -screws '18, the upper` ends of` whicharethreadably engaged withconnect'ingfbrack ets 19 carried by thenppenmembers 17. The screws 18 are loosely received at their lower endsby Connecting bracke'tSQU; and each screw is provided with' a colla-r 21by which the screw is 4held Ain proper operative relation in the bracket20 with which it is associated. The rotation of the screws 18 iseffected by hand wheels or cranks 22, and when suitably operatedrelative movement is effected between the members 17 and 16 of thestandards 15.

Suitably journalled in the lower member 16 of the st-andards 15 is atransversely extending shaft 23, and connected to each end of the shaft23 within the base frame 10 so as to rotate with the shaft is a sprocketwheel 24 over which is trained a sprocket chain 25. The diameter of thesprocket wheels 24 is relatively large so as to get the greatest widthbetween the stretches of the chains 25 which engage these wheels, andthereby provide the maximum space between such stretches to accommodatethe merchandise which is stored and displayed by the apparatus. Thesechains 25 are also trained over sprocket wheels 26, one of which isarranged at the upper end of each member 17 of the standards l5, androtatably mounted in relation thereto by an inwardly extending trunnionor spindle 27. By the use of the trunnions or spindles 27 clearance ishad between the wheels 26, and free passage of the articles is obtainedas they move from one side of the apparatus to the other in the movementof the'. chains 25.

The driving mechanism of the herein described apparatus includes anelectric motor 28 to the armature shaft of which is con nected a worm 29which Vmeshes with a worm gear 30 carried by a shaft 31. Between theshaft 31 and the shaft 23 is a train of gears including a spurgear `32land a pinion 33. The shaft 31 is suitably journalled to the lower member16 of one of the standards l5, the shaft 23 havin@ one of its endsextended sutliciently beyond the end of the frame 1(),to position thespur gear 32 at the exterior of that frame and for convenient meshingwith the pinion 33 which is also at the exterior ofl the' frame.

The motor 28 is mounted on la vsupporting table 34, which is also at theexterior of the frame 10 and properlyfsustained in osition by aninclined strut 35 connecte at its upper end to the table 34 and at itsvlower endtoanarm36..; 1.

For energizingthe motory 28 any suitable switch mechanism forcontrolling the flow of current thereto maybe employed. Preferably, suchswitch. mechanism :is so lrelated to the motor as to control flow of thecurrent thereto when the *braking mechanism, vabout toV be described, isreleased, and by which that flow is caused tov cease when the brakingmechanism is applied to the motor. This enables operation of the displayapparatus to be started expeditiously likewise expeditiously stoppedwhen it is desired to bring the apparatus to rest. This brakingmechanism includes a brake wheel or drum 37 which is mounted on theshaft 31V adjacent to the Apinion 33 and with which a brake lever 38co-operates. The lever 38 is pivotally connected to an arm 39 at one ofits ends, its other end being connected to a dependingr link 40 whichpasses through a perforated arm 41 connected to the adjacent standardl5. The lower end of the link 40 is connected to the inner 'end of apivoted foot lever 42 mounted at-the lower portion of the base frame l0,said lever being pivoted between its ends, so that on downward pressurebeing applied to the outer end of said lever 42 the link 40 is movedupwardly, with corresponding upward movement of the brake lever 38,resulting in release of that lever from its engagement with the brakewheel 37. The lever 38, however, normally is held in frictionalengagement with the brake wheel 37 by a coil spring 43 which encirclesthe link 40, said spring being interposed between the arm 41 and anadjustable collar 44 which is carried by the link 40. The adjustment ofthe collar 44 -will permit varying degrees of compression of the spring43, thereby permitting varying Vdegrees of frictional contact of' thebrake lever .38 with the brake wheel 37. A

By referring to Fig.' 1', it will be noted that the shaft 3l is ofsufficient length that its outer end projects beyond the worm gear 30,said projecting end having mounted thereon a hand wheel 45 provided withan extensible crank 46, thus enabling the apparatus to be operated byhand when such may be desired.'l

The construction of the chains 25 is that now commonly used in chain andsprocket gearing, the same including the usual alternating male andfemale links, these links beingl connected by bushings or sleeves 47, asillustrated in Fig. 6. Advantage is taken of this construction toprovide a novel form of supporting means by which the merchandise to bestored and exhibited may be conveniently applied to the chains. It willbe observed from Fig.v 6 that withinv the sleeves 47 is disposed asupporting rod 48, the ends of which are co-extensive with the outersides of the links in thetwo chains 25. The supporting rods 48 thus areloosely received by the sleeves 47, and may be read-A ily introduced toand removed therefrom when such is desired, thereby 'permitting thenumber of supporting rods to be increased or decreased with respect tovthe length of the chains 25, and giving more or less sup` port for thearticles to be displayed by increasing or decreasing the numberemployed. Each rod 48 is surrounded by an elongated sleeve 49, whiclrisrelatively shorter than the rod 48, and each of these sleeves 49 has aclosure plug 50 fitted in each of its ends; The plugs 50 areprovidedwithperipheral flanges 51 against which the 4ends of the sleeves 49 abut,and said plugs likewise are provided with longitudinal bores forreceiving the ends of the rod 48.` Set screws 52 are associated with theends of the sleeves 49, said screws passing through the sleeves, andalso the plugs 50, and impinging against the rods 48. This locks thesleeves 49- to the closure plugs 50, and also the latter t0 the rods 48.It will also be observed that the length of the sleeves 49 is such thatthe outer ends of the closure plugs 50 will serve as stops against.which the links of the chains 25 will abut, so that the rods 48 areprecluded sliding out of the sleeves 47 until the set screws 52 have.been released, whereupon the entire structure may be readily detachedfrom the chains 25.

It will be understood that in the display of the merchandise suitableshelving may be suspended from the sleeves 49, or the merchandise itselfmay be directly applied to these sleeves. It has been stated previouslythat in the particular embodiment of the in vention herein disclosed thesame is adapted for the storage and display of clothing. In this use thegarments., are appled to the usual hangers, and the hangers themselvessus ended from the sleeves 49, thereby enabllng a suit of clothes, or aladys garment.I either individually or in groups, tobe suspended fromthese sleeves and readily detached therefrom when occasionl arisestherefor. In other articles of merchandise, however, such as candy andsimilar commodities which require to be displayed through the medium ofshelving,I a shelf may. be4 sus; pended from each of the sleeves 49, andcarried thereby in .the travel of the chains 25 through' the path oftravel of the latter.

Where the apparatus is intended. for displaying clothin provision ismade to pre'- vent damage or the clothing byits Contact with theoperating' parts of the apparatus, or its entanglement. with such parts.For

this purpose each of the sleeves 49-hasapplied thereto one or morependent guard loops.53. To:- balance these loops in their suspensionfrom the sleeves 49v their' upper ends are caused to converge, theconverging portions terminating in sus nsion sleeves 54 which looselyreceive en.' supporting sleeves 49. The guards 53'may-be moved to anypoint along the sleeves 49, either towards or away from the chains 25,and as the guards occupy positions between the. garments and thechainsfit'will be seen that. the garments are precluded 1 from.;lcontacting with the chains and the sprocket wheels during the travel ofthe'chains.-

A spring clip 55 may be attached to each of the guards 53 for applyingthereto a price ticket or tag which denotes the sale price of thearticles displayed, and if garments of different prices are assembled onany one of the supporting sleeves 49, those garments of one price may beseparated from the gar ments of another price by utilizing the guards53' as partitions between the groups of the differently pricedgarments.l

In the operation of the apparatus -there maybe a tendency of thesuspended articles to sway, particularly so when these articles areclothing, as the same are transferred from one side of the apparatus tothe other. In such event, and toprevent the articles on one stretch ofthe chains interfering with movement of the articles on the otherstretch of the chains inclined deflectors 56 are arranged atsuitablepoints between the supporting standards 15. These deflectors extendacross the space between the chains 25, and as the articles pass thedeflectors, if there be swaying movement in the articles at such time,the same contact with the delectors and ride over the surface thereof.In supporting the deflector 56 which is'next ad.- jacent to the shaft23, the swaying of the articles being more vparticularly noticeable atthis point, and it being thus essential that free movement ofthearticles around the shaft 23 shall be effected, theends of that delectorare mounted in supporting brackets 57 the upper ends of which are turnedout-L wardly in order to span the wheels 24, and the lower ends beingturned inwardly in order to sustain the lowermost defiector 56 in properrelation to ther wheelsv 24s Thus as the articles descend on' onestretch of the conveyorthey will contact the deilector and be moved awayfrom the shaft 23, while on their upward movement on the other stretchof the conveyor a similar condition arises, and free movement thereby isassured.

The apparatus may be braced additionally againststresses and strains bythe interposition of tie rods 58 at suitable points, the ends of saidtie rods being suitably connected within thechannels of the stand` ardsI5; e l. 1

=As a.- means for conveniently loading 'and unloading' the apparatus,particularly when the same-is to beused for displaying articles ofwearing apparel, an extensible supporting rod 59 maybe arranged. at eachendof the apparatus, which rod is received by a tubular housing 6() oneend of which is closed byl a plug 61.. Between the plug- 61 andthe innerend of' the rod 59 is connected a cable or cord62 for limiting theIoutward movement ofthe rod 59, and the'l'atter carries.y at its outerend :a handle -63 for its. convenient manipulation. When withdrawn fromthe housing the articles to be loaded onxto vthe conveyor chains maybeplaced on the rod froniwhich they aretransferred to the supportingsleeves 49 as the necessities of the display or storage may require.From the foregoing description the operation Lof the herein describedapparatus will readrly appear. The 'braking mechanism normally holds thechains 25 against movement, and whether one stretch of the chainsbalances the other, due to any differential in weight between thestretches because of a pre nderance in the mechandise on one stretc overthat on the other, there is no movement of the chains until the brakingmechanism is released. This isl done by downward pressure being appliedto the foot lever 42 at which time the brake lever 38 releases itsbraking action on the brake wheel 37. At that-time, however, current isfed into the electric motor 28, and movement of the chains 25 thus isstarted. The rate of travel of the chains is determined by the ratio ofthe gears and the movement of the motor, but preferably that ratio issuch that the movement of the chains is relatively slow so that as thevarious supporting sleeves 49 pass by a given point full opportunitywill be afforded the observer to inspect the mechandise which isdisplayed. If it be desired to bring the apparatus to rest, it is butnecessary to release pressure on the lever 42, whereupon the spring 43exerts itself to pull downwardly the brake lever 38 and establish itsfrictional engagement with the brake wheel 37, thereby stopping movementofthe chains 25. I'Vhen the apparatus is in operation the merchandisestored and displayed thereby passes up one stretch of the chains 25 anddown the other, and this movementcontinues so long as the electric motor28 is energized. The adjusting screws 18 may be operated to compensatefor any slackness inthe chains 25, the members 17 of the posts 15 beingvthus adj usted relatively to the members 16 thereof, so that the propertension on the chains 25 may be established and maintained at all times.

The guard loops 53 insure prevention of damage to the merchandise byreason of the same coming into contact with the chains, and these loopsalso serve-to balance the merchandise against undue swaying as the sameis transferred fromone side of the apparatus to the other. If themerchandise displayed be clothing, the garments are grouped, as aboveexplained, inA accordance with the price variations, so lthat garmentsof one price will pass the inspecting point at the same time. In thestorage and display of the garments the same are suspended in close.relation to each other along the supports 49, and as the number ofsupports employed inthe particular apparatus may be regulated or varied,it is obvious that the capacity of the machine or apparatus may bevaried to meet the particular conditions of the business in which it -isused. Therefore, a greater or a less number of garments may be storedand displayed. While the embodiment of the apparatus is illustrated asof a portable character, it will be understood that the same may bebuilt int'o a store or display room as a permanent fixture thereof, andthe same may be extended through several stories of a building if theneeds of the particular business require an apparatus of such capacity.

The operation of the apparatus continues so long as the electric motor28 is energized and the brake lever 38 is` out of frictlonal contactwiththe brake drum 37. The foot lever 42 is the medium for maintainingthis relation of the parts, but it will be understood that any suitablemechanism may be adopted for locking the parts in such position as toinsure continuity of operation of the apparatus for any predeterminedperiod of time, thus avoiding the necessity of maintaining pressure onthe foot lever 42 by an operator of the apparatus.

I claim:

1. In a Conveyor device of the class described comprising a pair oflower sprocket wheels, a pair of upper sprocket wheels, a pair ofsprocket chains trained around said wheels, means for driving saidchains on said Wheels, said chains being arranged to move in spacedsubstantially parallel-vertical planes, and means disposed in the spacebetween said chains and carried thereby' for suspending articlestherefrom, a frame for supporting said wheels and the associated chainsin operative relationship, said frame comprising a rectangular frameunit extending to a portion of thev height of said conveyor device andhaving the lower sprocket wheels mounted in oppositely disposed sidewalls thereof, a pair of standards upwardly extending from'. saidsidewalls, each standard consisting of nested channel members, and meansfor supporting the upper wheels from the .upper ends of said standards,said nested channel members being relatively slidable to permitvariation of the spacing between the upper chain vwheels and the lowerchain. wheels.

2. A conveyor device comprising a rectangular self-supporting frame unithaving a pair ofi vertically disposed spaced side walls and-bracingmeans for rigidly holding said side walls in spaced relationship, a pairof sprocket wheels supported on said side walls, a' pair of-postsextending from the top; of said side walls in the -direction above thesprocket wheels, a pair of sprocket wheels mounted at thev upper ends of'said posts in spaced relationshipA to said lowersprocket wheels, a pairof endless sprocket chains trained on the correspondinglo'wer and uppersprocket Wheels, respectively, means for driving said chains, means forsupporting articles betweenA the paralleldisposed chains to be carriedthereby dur-r ing their movement, said posts bci-ng of telescopicconstruction for varying the length thereof, and means for'adjusting theSwheels.

3. In a display device comprising a supporting frame and a pluralitylofsprockets conveying endless chains on opposite sides of the frame andproviding display and storage space therebetween, a carrier structuresupported at its ends by said endless chains` said carrier structurecomprising a central rod member engaging the endless chains and atubular member mounted thereon and in spaced relation thereto, pendantguard and spacing means mounted on the carrier structure andlongitudinally slidable along the'latter for confining articlessuspended from the carrier structure to an arbitrarily determinedportion of the width of the carrier.

4. In a display device comprising a supporting frame and a plurality ofsprockets conveying endless chains arranged at opposite sides of theframe and providing display and storage space therebetween, a pluralityof spaced article carriers supported at their ends by said chains, saidcarriers comprising a central rod member engaging the chains and asleeve member supported on the rod, pendant guard loops mounted on thesleeve member and slidable to any desired position thereon, anddelecting means mounted between opposite sides of the frame and betweenthe opposite reaches of the endless chains.

5. In an apparatus of the character described comprising a pair ofendless conveyer chains, sleeves 1n the links of the chain, a supportingrod having its ends loosely extending in the sleeves and axiallyremovable therefrom, collar members mounted on the rod and lockedthereto adjacent the chain engaging portions to prevent removal of therod from the chain, and a tubular member surrounding the rod and held inspaced relation thereto by engagement with the collar members.

6. In an article carrier for endless chain display conveyers, a rodmember, spaced collar members mounted on the rod providing limitedbearing portions at the ends of the rod, a sleeve member mounted on thecollar members in spaced relation to the rod member, and pendantloopshaving portions slidably mounted on the sleeve member to rovidelongitudinal adjustment of the guard) loops lengthwise of the carrier.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

BENJAMIN J. BUCKINGHAM.

